Countryside supporter ‘horrified’ at loss of traditional dry stone walling around rural Derbyshire farm in Green Belt

NE Derbyshire District Council approved conditional planning permission for applicants to demolish a dwelling and outbuildings at Bluster Castle Farm, on Birley Road, Birley, at Cutthorpe, Chesterfield, and replace them with a new two-storey dwelling and a garage with an above farm office and a private drainage system.

However, after David Catton, of Old Hall Farm, on Main Road, Cutthorpe, wrote to the council and NE Derbyshire MP Lee Rowley claiming the removal of characteristic dry stone walling around the farm contradicts the local authority’s Brampton Neighbourhood Plan a further concerned Chesterfield resident has also written to Mr Rowley and the Derbyshire Times.

Barbara Campbell, formerly of Cutthorpe, said: “I went to have a look at what had happened. I was horrified at what I saw. All the stone wall at the roadside had been removed and replaced with a featureless fence.

“I cannot make sense of this, as walling stone is not usually suitable for building.”

Ms Campbell acknowledged that the owner of the property may well have the right to remove the dry stone wall but she was confused because other properties in the area have managed to maintain their stone walls at the roadside and the character of the area.

Mr Catton originally stated that he too had been ‘horrified’ that large stretches of dry stone walling had been removed from the boundary of this property.

He has even argued that the removal of the dry stone walling is contrary to the Brampton Neighbourhood Plan.

Mr Catton said a policy in the plan states that a development should not result in the loss of or harm to traditional dry stone walls and that the conservation or enhancement of dry stone walls ‘will be supported’.

He has even asked the council to secure the reinstatement of the removed dry stone walls in support for the Neighbourhood Plan.

But District Council Planning Enforcement Officer Julian Hawley has explained to Mr Catton the relevant ‘demolition’ is deemed to be a permitted development and does not require council permission, and any enforcement action would be expected to fail and the council would be liable for costs for ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

Mr Hawley has also explained some small-scale developments can automatically be granted planning permission under a General Permitted Development Order so councils are not burdened by minor developments and the only exception would have been if the wall had been in a conservation area.

He added that where planning permission has been granted under a GPDO the Neighbourhood Plan’s policy cannot be taken into account but he has referred the matter to Natural England because he understands farm payment subsidies can be affected by removing traditional walls.

Ward councillors raised no observations and no comments were received from Brampton Parish Council, Peak Northern Footpaths Society, Chesterfield Cycle Campaign and the British Horse Society during the planning process and Derbyshire County Council’s Highways and Rights of Way authorities and the Ramblers Association raised no objections.

A council officer stated the design, materials, scale, location, levels and the proposed boundary treatments and landscaping of the development are respectful of the surrounding landscape character, and the development meets requirements of three relevant North East Derbyshire Local Plan policies.

Mr Hawley said the owner of the development intended to replant the section of lost dry stone walling with a traditional native hedgerow to mitigate any harm.

Ms Campbell, of Hady, Chesterfield, added: “Until last year, my husband and me lived at Cowclose Farm which is very near Bluster Castle Farm on the same side of the road.

“My parents bought Cowclose Farm in 1946. Our boundary walls were always well maintained as were those of other properties in the area.

“When we sold our property last year, we were delighted that the buyer took a keen interest in the environment. ”

Ms Campbell, who places great regard on the rural nature, character and importance of dry stone walling, doubts the removed walling will be replaced with further dry stone walling but she encouraged others to value the countryside.

Conservationists believe dry stone walls can be an important habitat for plants and animals including lichens, mosses, ferns and invertebrates and some birds who use them for nesting.